1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to devices for bending the portion of the fender of a saddle holding a stirrup to a position which is more convenient for a rider's use.
2. Discussion of Related Art
In the early days, during cattle drives, cowboys would take a new saddle with fender and stirrup attached and soak the fender and stirrup in a stock tank. The fender would be twisted until the stirrupt was positioned at a right angle to the original plane of the fender thereby creating a typical riding condition. Of course, such soaking of the leather causes premature deterioration thereof together with unsightly staining of the leather. Present saddles, especially show saddles, have values in excess of $1500.00. Thus, the user has great incentive to keep the saddle in excellent condition and such soaking of the leather would therefore be prohibited.
Most cowboys work their horses with old saddles which, due to extensive use, have the stirrups at right angles to the fender. Then when they go to a hose shown with a new saddle, they find that the stirrup is not at right angles to the fender but is aligned straight with the fender making it difficult to perform and to have a proper boot position in the stirrup. Such a proper boot positioning can be a decisive factor in the outcome of a contest. Accordingly, a need has developed for an article which can hold the stirrup of a relatively unused saddle in the optimum position relative to the fender.
In order to provide proper positioning of the stirrup, several mechanisms have been suggested. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 2,532,082, issued Nov. 28, 1950 to Borst, shows a stirrup having a swivel attachment for connection to the saddle fender. Accordingly, the stirrup can be oriented easily in any direction desired. U.S. Pat. No. 3,827,215, issued Aug. 6, 1974 to Edenfield, shows a horse saddle stirrup setter comprising a pair of straight handles positioned adjacent each other, one end of each handle having an opening therethrough for receiving a bolt fitted with a wing nut so that the handles can be forcibly brought toward each other. The opposite end of one of the handles has a pair of extending prongs and the other handle has at its opposite end a U-shaped collar. The prongs and the collar are adapted to seize a portion of the fender so that the stirrup is maintained in a suitable position for receiving the rider's foot.